North Korea Opens the Wonsan Kalma Beach Resort: A New Chapter in Tourism or Strategic Illusion?
On the eastern coast of one of the most secretive nations on Earth, a new vision of leisure and luxury has taken shape. After years of planning, delays, and political speculation, North Korea has announced the opening of the Wonsan Kalma Beach Resort, a sprawling tourist complex designed to accommodate 20,000 domestic tourists and—potentially in the future—foreign visitors. Marking the momentous occasion was none other than North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, who attended the ceremonial inauguration of the resort in late June 2025. This development represents not only a bold infrastructural project but also a symbolic shift in how the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) aims to engage with the world—or at least how it wants the world to perceive it.
This 4,000-word article delves deep into the implications of the resort’s launch, covering the region’s history, the project’s objectives, and the broader context of tourism in North Korea.
